Point-of-Care Strategies for Detection of Waterborne Pathogens

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Biotechnology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Waterborne diseases caused by pathogens pose a significant global health risk.
• Accurate and rapid detection of biological contaminants in water is essential for water quality assessment.
• Existing sensing techniques require improvement in speed, efficiency, scalability, and affordability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review sensing technologies for detecting biological contaminants in water.
• To explore advancements in paper-based assays, microfluidic platforms, and lateral flow devices.
• To discuss emerging point-of-care (POC) technologies for water safety analysis.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on sensing technologies for waterborne pathogens.
• Analysis of advancements in smart sensors, including high sensitivity and low detection limits.
• Exploration of paper-based assays, microfluidic platforms, and lateral flow devices.

Main Results:

• Smart sensors offer improved sensitivity and real-time detection capabilities.
• Paper-based assays, microfluidic platforms, and lateral flow devices show promise for rapid detection.
• Point-of-care (POC) technologies are emerging as key trends in water safety analysis.

Conclusions:

• Continued research is needed to advance waterborne pathogen detection technologies.
• Smart sensing technologies offer significant potential for real-time water health diagnostics.
• Addressing global demands requires further development of efficient, scalable, and affordable sensing solutions.